


Continual testing

by bluepointragdoll



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s02e01 Human Traffic, Established Relationship, G has Issues, G is a shit sometimes, Gen, Sam puts up with a lot, idiosyncratic relationships, it must be the Stockholm, sleep is something that happens to other people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-15
Updated: 2013-03-15
Packaged: 2017-12-05 08:37:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/721059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluepointragdoll/pseuds/bluepointragdoll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Can be read either as friendship or 'ship, thus the two tags.] Episode tag (pre-tag?) for "Human Traffic"; look, uneven toast just <i>irritates</i> him and it's not like he was sleeping anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Continual testing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [staranise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/staranise/gifts).



It's about three in the morning when very suddenly instead of just the little desk-lamp G had been using, the entire kitchen is illuminated and Sam's in the doorway asking, " . . . what the hell are you doing?" in the kind of voice other people use at three in the morning. 

G pauses, screwdriver in hand. In the middle of the night, Sam's face is habitually screwed up into an expression that goes past _frown_ into scowl; it probably shouldn't, but it makes him look about fifteen years younger. The question itself is really asking for a smart response - maybe _building a rocket_ or _translating the works of Tolstoy_ \- but it being late and/or early, G takes a little pity and says, "I'm fixing your toaster," as he screws the element back in. 

Only a little pity. His eyes really don't adjust that quickly to sudden light. 

"Fixing my -" Sam starts and then stops and covers his eyes with his hand. "G," he says, "you can't fix my toaster. My toaster's not broken. Why the hell are you taking my toaster apart in the middle of the night?" 

"This toaster," G replies, ignoring the real question, "does not toast evenly." The distraction of the conversation makes him scrape his wrist on toaster-innards, so he adds, "And keep your voice down. You're going to wake up Imogen." 

"I - " Sam starts and then with a strangled word he catches himself and drops his voice to a loudish whisper, " _I'll_ wake her up? Me? _You're_ the one taking apart the toaster at three in the fucking morning!" 

"Which has made next to no noise," G points out. "Up until now, anyway. And up until now, very little light." 

"You woke me up." Sam's glaring at him. 

G shrugs. "You sleep like a pregnant woman; I can't help there." He ignores the offended silence. "I didn't wake Imogen up and I bet Michelle didn't wake up either, until you got up. Besides," he says, fitting the casing back onto the toaster with a very quiet, very careful _click_ , "I'm done."

Sam is leaning on the door frame and glaring at him. G claps him gently on the shoulder and says, "You should get some sleep; you look tired," as he heads towards the guest room. 

"Yeah," Sam says, with heavy sarcasm. "I'll do that." 

"Good," G replies. He gestures at the toaster and says, "And in the morning, you'll have perfect toast." 

G waits, just for a second, for the rhetorical _why the hell did I ask you to stay here, anyway?_ \- for which it just so happens G has many answers. 

But Sam restricts himself to, "Good _night_ , G," before stalking back towards his and Michelle's bedroom. 

He forgets to turn off the kitchen light. G considers leaving it, but after a minute wanders back. It takes less than a second to return the house to nighttime darkness.


End file.
